December 9, 2025 — This fall, the BEI-RDA team—Allyson, Jeremy, and Rosemary—hit the road to host our in-person Partnership, Residency Leadership, and Financial Sustainability Institutes with our BEI-RDA (Boundless Educators Initiative – Residency Design Academy) second cohort partners. Both design teams come from the rich legacy of teacher preparation at HBCUs, and we are grateful to collaborate with them as they build context-specific residency programs to recruit, train, and retain educators who reflect the communities they serve.
October 14–16: University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES; Princess Anne, MD)
Partnered with Caroline County Public Schools, the UMES design team worked to establish a clear mission and vision for their emerging teacher residency program. Together, we explored the unique challenges of their rural context, brainstormed innovative recruitment and retention strategies, and identified opportunities to strengthen community partnerships that can support long-term sustainability.
October 29–November 1: Grambling State University (Grambling, LA)
Alongside Madison Parish and Monroe City School District partners, the Grambling team focused on building from the strength of their existing relationships to address district-specific vacancy needs. The team collaboratively outlined a mission and vision and discussed teacher residency pathways, including the level of candidate support needed to ensure a high-quality program designed to recruit candidates who reflect and value the communities they serve.
Across both visits, the purpose of this first in-person institute remained the same: to deepen relationships, spark aligned visioning, and begin shaping the key design elements of each teacher residency model. We left each site energized and proud to work alongside such deeply committed partners who are transforming teacher preparation in their communities.
Stay tuned for more updates as this cohort’s work continues to take shape!